In today’s society, many consumers are under the impression that they need to buy new products all the time. Many people keep buying new cars, new furniture, and new power tools when there are millions of slightly-used items that work just fine. Here’s a quick look at the benefits of buying refurbished tools from Metropolitan Lumber & Hardware:

Good for your wallet Living in New York is expensive enough without having to worry about expensive tools. When you have a job to do that requires tools that you don’t have, buying refurbished tools is a lot less expensive. Plus, refurbished power tools can work as well if not better than new tools.

Good for your home Many homeowners are eager to perform home improvement projects, but are turned off by the high price of power tools. Luckily, the inexpensive refurbished tools from Metropolitan Lumber & Hardware can quickly remove that obstacle. By saving money on refurbished tools, you’ll also be able to spend more money on materials, making every home improvement project as beautiful as it can be.

Good for the environment Though our economy relies on new products in order to thrive, manufacturing these products requires freshly-mined resources. By buying a refurbished tool from Metropolitan Lumber & Hardware, you’re giving a previously manufactured product a new life, thus slightly reducing resource and energy consumption.

If you’re interested in purchasing a refurbished power tool, come by Metropolitan Lumber & Hardware. We have New York City’s most complete lumber and hardware inventory, as well as some of the lowest prices. Are you considering a home improvement project in the near future? Give us a call today at (888) 718-6951.

Firs are evergreen cone-bearing trees that can grow hundreds of feet high. They are found throughout much of the U.S. and used in many different ways. If you’re planning an upcoming home improvement project, for example, fir lumber would be a fine choice. Here’s a closer look at fir lumber:

Cost As far as quality lumber goes, fir is one of the most economical options. For example, fir generally costs at least 50% less than redwoods. True fir lumber is even less expensive than Douglas fir lumber, which isn’t technically a variety of fir. If you’re looking to complete a home improvement project cheaply, fir lumber is the way to go.

Uses Since there are around 50 species of fir trees, fir lumber generally sees a wide variety of uses. Generally speaking, fir is best for indoor uses, since it isn’t as resistant to the outdoor elements as other types of lumber. If you’re planning on building a piece of indoor furniture, laying down a wood floor, or building cabinets, you should ask a lumber expert about fir.

Aesthetics Unlike straight-grained woods like Douglas fir and cedar, true fir lumber has a meandering grain to it. Though cedar and other redwoods are beautiful in their own right, fir has more of a classic wood look. If you’re a fan of interesting grain patterns, then you should consider fir lumber for your next project.

Durability Unfortunately, fir isn’t as resistant to decay and insects as other kinds of wood. Still, fir is by no means weak. Its structural strength makes it a good choice for drywall framing, furniture, and virtually whichever other indoor projects you have in mind.

If you’d like to learn more about fir lumber, come by Metropolitan Lumber & Hardware. Fir is just one of the many types of lumber we supply at our five New York City area locations. We also have plenty of discount power tools to help you with a wide variety of home improvement projects. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call us at (888) 718-6951.

Just because you live in New York doesn’t mean you can’t have a beautiful, healthy garden this summer. If you have enough space on your roof or balcony, you could be eating organic vegetables from your garden with every meal. Here are a few tools and materials you’ll need to start your organic garden:

Lumber If you’re like most New Yorkers, you probably don’t have a yard, much less soil. In order to start a garden, you’ll need to build a raised garden bed out of redwood or cedar. Luckily, Metropolitan Lumber & Hardware carries quality lumber of all sizes.

Power tools Though it’s possible to put together a raised garden bed without power tools, it can be very time consuming and labor intensive. You’ll find that a high-quality electric drill makes the job a lot quicker and easier.

Soil Once you’ve constructed your raised garden bed, you’ll need to find good soil to fill it with. When looking at different potting soils, be sure you get a kind that doesn’t have any inorganic additives. You can then add compost to your garden bed in order to continually enrich the soil.

Plants or seeds After deciding which vegetables, flowers, and plants you want in your garden, you should get either plants that have already sprouted or seed packets. Again, you should make sure that the plants and seeds are raised through organic means.

Garden implements In order to plant and tend to your garden, you’ll need an array of garden implements. Hoes, shovels, trimmers, and other tools are great for planting seeds and getting rid of weeds.

If you’re looking for tools and materials for an organic garden, come by Metropolitan Lumber & Hardware. We have a large selection of lumber and discount power tools to help you get started. If you’re thinking of performing a few indoor upgrades, you’ll be glad to know that we also carry Laticrete and sound-proofing equipment. Call us today at (888) 718-6951 to speak with one of our friendly representatives.

If you’re going to take up woodworking, you should familiarize yourself with a lot of different tools. For example, you’ll likely need to choose between a fixed-base and plunge-based power router if you plan on making complex cuts.

In this short video from eHow.com, woodworking expert Dave Trull discusses the differences between fixed-base and plunge-based power routers. He also discusses the various sizes of power routers and when they’re most useful.

If you’re looking for a fixed-base router, plunge-based router, or one of each, come by Metropolitan Lumber & Hardware. We have an enormous selection of discount power tools, as well as Laticrete, sound-proofing equipment, and more. Call us today at (888) 718-6951 if you have any questions.

New York City is filled with talented artists trying to break into the music business. Though playing gigs around town is an excellent way to gain exposure, at some point every artist needs to lay down some tracks. Since renting a recording studio often puts unwelcome time constraints on the creative process, you might as well build your own studio. Here are a few essential components of a soundproof recording studio:

Space Though there’s not a lot of it in New York City, space is perhaps the most important component of any recording studio. Before you select a space, you should consider how you’re going to use it. If you plan on recording a whole band at once, you’ll need enough room for drums, amps, and people. If you’re more of a solo artist, you can get away with a much smaller space.

Recording equipment Recording equipment is essential if you’re building a recording studio. Luckily, you can usually get a decent digital setup without spending a lot of money. If you’re looking for a state-of-the-art studio, however, you’ll have to spend a bit more. As you and your band mates earn more money, you can continually work to build up your studio bit by bit.

Soundproofing materials When it comes to making noise, New York City has some strict regulations. That means you’ll have to make sure that your studio is as soundproof as possible. Acoustical Solutions, Inc. makes a wide variety of high-quality soundproofing equipment, including special foams, drum shields, and fabrics. Once you’ve soundproofed your studio and gotten all the proper equipment, you should be ready to record.

If you’re looking for effective soundproofing equipment, contact Metropolitan Lumber & Hardware. We know how loud life can be in the close quarters of New York City—that’s we stock a number of soundproofing products from Acoustical Solutions. Call us today at (888) 718-6951, and take one step closer to building your own recording studio.